Merc raises bar, pegs V-Class Elite MPV at `1.1 cr

At a time when the struggling car market is still recovering, Mercedes-Benz, India’s biggest luxury carmaker, on Thursday expanded its multi-purpose vehicles, or MPV, a new segment it created by introducing top-end Mercedes V-Class Elite priced at Rs 1.10 crore at pan-India showroom.

The Pune-headquartered German automaker had created a new MPV luxury segment in the country in January when it launched the lower version called Mercedes V-Class for business and leisure in two trims called V-Class Expression at Rs 68.40 lakh and V-Class Exclusive at Rs 81.90 lakh.

At present, the imported Mercedes-Benz V-Class has no competition in the country but it will compete with the upcoming Toyota Vellfire MPV.

Mercedes claimed that sales of the V-Class have exceeded expectation, with this brand model selling in the triple digits in the country but shied to give exact sales in the last 10 months.

“We pioneered the MPV luxury segment in January with launch of V-Class and registered triple digit sales,” Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO at Mercedes-Benz India told Financial Chronicle without disclosing numbers.

He boasted that this brand model combines highest standards of passenger cars with the functionality and practicality of an MPV.

The versatile vehicle allows customers to choose from a wide range of customization options, as well, he pointed out.

“The V-Class Elite is targeted at a wide array of potential customers comprising large families, sports enthusiasts, businesses owners, who want a top-end luxury MPV that suits their lifestyles,” Schwenk said.

He was confident that the V-Class Elite as a one of its kind product in India will create new benchmarks for luxury travel in the country and expand the segment.